AONTAS Community Education Network
Join the Community Education Network to lobby, obtain greater recognition for, and raise the profile of, community education!
Any local, self-managed, independent community education organisation that is committed to raising the profile of, and lobbying for, a community education sector that is committed to social change can join. For further information please contact Niamh O’Reilly noreilly@aontas.com, phone 01 4068220 or leave a message here.
Next Community Education Network Meeting
The theme for the next Community Education Network meeting is 'Community Education and Where our Allies lie'. The agenda is available to download here.
Date: Wednesday 21st May 2008
Time: 10.30am - 3.30pm
Venue: St. Andrews' Resource Centre, 114-116 Pearse Street, Dublin 2
Previous Community Education Network Meetings
Wednesday 12th March: 'Agreeing a definition of Community Education'.
Over 40 participants from community education groups across Ireland attended the meeting, to agree a definition of Community Education. Group discussions, small workshops and an input from Brid Connolly, NUI Maynooth, facilitated reflection on the practice of community education and how we want to define it.
A report on the outcomes of this meeting is available for download here.
Please reflect on the report and communicate your ideas and thoughts on one, or all, of the following to Niamh O’Reilly via email: noreilly@aontas.com, fax to 01 4068227 or post to the AONTAS address.
1. Review the words in table 1, identifying those you feel vital for inclusion in the definition
2. Propose a definition of community education using the words
3. Identify appropriate and effective methods for moving this debate further
4. Any other comments that would assist this work
Thursday 8th November: 'Establishing the Community Education Network'.
Over 30 community education groups from across Ireland participated in the first AONTAS Community Education Network Meeting, which took place on Thursday 8th November. The event focussed on how community education groups can work together in a network so to create a stronger voice for community education and to lobby for its needs. The day set about to establish the network: its aims and objectives and also explored what opportunities are available for community education to effect change. There was a discussion space in the afternoon with Ted Fleming, Lecturer from the Department of Adult and Community Education NUI Maynooth, which was used as a reflective space to focus the work. To read a report of the event please click here.
Background to the Network
As per the AONTAS Strategic Plan 2007- 2010 a community network shall be formed from the AONTAS membership: Organisational Development: 'Create a community platform/working group of AONTAS members to promote the meaning of community education and to act as a political platform for shaping policy. '
The draft Strategic Workplan for the Community Education Network is available for download here or in hard copy (by request). The work plan will ensure that the network remains action orientated; is based on your views and needs; ensures the work is on track and effective; and for promoting the network. Feel free to share your comments by email to noreilly@aontas.com.
Community Education Network
Aim: To create a network of individuals involved in community education that will act as a conduit for lobbying and media work. The network will be open to AONTAS members and will build on the work of the training links project by encouraging its participants to join.
Purpose of Community Education Network
- To act as a representative body for community education
- To strengthen the influence of community education groups in AONTAS
- To work on lobbying initiatives locally and, through AONTAS, nationally
- For media and publicity work and to promote the meaning and value of community education
- To strengthen the capacity of our community education members
- To act as an identifiable space for the smaller community education groups to feed into
- To act as a space for exchanging information and for networking
- To act as a space for dialogue on community education
- As a starting point to initiate a broader debate on the definition of adult and community education
- As a method of linking in with external agencies: trade unions, the Wheel, Pobal, county councils, EAPN etc.
Structure of the Community Education Network
- This network is aimed solely at community education groups that are members of AONTAS (as expressed in the strategic plan consultation), including those who took part in the training links programme and the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF).
- A steering group has been created to guide the development of the community network
- Meetings of the network will focus on lobbying for improvements in community education and raising its profile through action that will incorporate lobbying and media work for short-term and long-term goals.
We strongly urge community education groups to join the network, for more information please contact Niamh O'Reilly, Membership Development Officer, on 01 4068220 or email noreilly@aontas.com.or leave a message here.
